Diamond Girl
by EggplantWitch
Summary: Skye's POV on a Skye/Claire fic. A thief. That was what I was, and I prided myself on it. I had stolen many jewels over the years, but the ones at the hearts of women were my speciality. But Claire, that farm girl, I had no idea what to make of her.
1. Finding ForgetMeNot

**I noticed that these archives were brimming with Skye/PlayerCharacter fics and thought I'd add to that in my own way…from Skye's point of view. The 'heart events' won't be exactly the same as the ones in the game (because you'd already know what was going to happen, and that'd be boring) and there are other things I'm planning on dipping in. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it :)**

I am a city boy by nature, but that didn't make me shallow. I was teased from an early age about my odd hobbies – astronomy, singing, cooking – but this didn't mean I had no friends. The boys were the ones that found me strange. The girls all liked me. So from that early age, I enjoyed the company of women. Every woman in the world had a sparkle to them, like a jewel or semi-precious stone, regardless of age or relationship status. As I grew older, I also realized that some women had the sparkle of iron pyrites, otherwise known as Fool's Gold. Maybe attractive, but shallow and never as good as the real thing. Around that age, I also discovered my gift. My one, true gift that made me unique from everybody else. I could do magic. There were few people in the world with that kind of gift, so naturally I honed it at every opportunity. I could make myself invisible for a minute or so, muffle the sounds of my actions and most importantly I could freeze women to the spot for up to twenty minutes. That presented interesting fantasies, but I had my honour. Instead, it was a cure for my boredom in the long summer months. I love good weather, but there was little to do. Around _that _time, I discovered the thrill of thievery. I was not a criminal but a phantom, learning from the movements of the cat and putting my powers to the use of my own amusement. It may have made me a bad person, but who cared? I met interesting people. I made money. I had excitement if the cops turned up. There came a time when they knew my name though, and it was time to move on. So I left the city and came to the little village known as Forget-Me-Not Valley… 

* * *

><p>I had no idea what time it was. The skies were clear and the moon shone down on me, illuminating my way. I had good night-vision anyway but a little light was always useful. It was silent here. I had rarely been in silence and now I had it I was lapping it up with every step. I had been doing a little investigating around the town. Well, it was more like tiny village, barely a dozen houses strong, but the people were rich in life, happiness and most importantly cash. There was a family of farmers not far from the Mineral Town Road, an inn, several houses with families or a doctor in, a homely little bar, the home of some pyrotechnics, a barren farm to the north and most importantly a very fancy villa on the western side of town. It radiated an aura that screamed 'I have money'. I climbed up the ivy growing on the east-facing side and slipped in through a window. The carpet was thick, so I had no need to cast magic to muffle my steps. It smelt of must and perfume mixed together in here, and I knew why when I saw a light floating down the corridor in front of me. I pulled the invisibility shell up and watched the girl with the torch pass. She was plain looking but did have her own kind of prettiness. She was carrying a few books and walked straight past me, into a room across the corridor. Then I continued. I also found the room of an old woman (the head of the household, I gathered from photographs) and the poorer-looking room of the butler. This was the place I should strike first. An old woman, an old man and a pretty girl. It would be simple to fend them off if I got caught. But not harm them. That is one of my rules. Rule One: Never steal from those that have nothing to give. Rule Two: Never hurt another living being. If I had no choice but fight or flight, I would choose flight. As long as I followed those rules, I knew that I was not a criminal but a phantom. I made my egress back through the window again and headed back down the steps. <p>

* * *

><p>I froze when I heard something from in front of me, near the well. There was someone there…chopping wood, by the looks and sounds of it. I had recently cast the invisibility spell so I made like the cat and crept on soft paws. It was a girl. Probably a farmer. She looked pale in the moonlight and very tired. Her overalls were covered in mud and her straight blonde hair was tangled and knotted. However…looking into her eyes as she toiled I saw the beginnings of that sparkle. I wondered what kind of jewel she was. I'd seen some of the other village girls sleeping as I snuck through the houses, but I hadn't seen this one (since she was still awake, obviously). I ran a hand through my hair and approached her as she took a pause.<p>

"What are you doing out so late, beautiful?" I asked her. She looked at me with wide eyes, blinking.

"Who're you?" she said.

"You can call me Skye, Prince of the Stars," she gave me a funny look.

"I've never seen you around before," she tilted her head, as though she were looking for a meaning in me.

"Well, I don't live here. But I am new, also. You haven't told me your name yet either, beautiful."

"Stop callin' me that. My name is Claire."

"Claire? Such a pretty girl deserves a prettier name than that."

"You leave my name alone. It's an honest name. What d'you want with me anyway?"

"I wanted to know what you were doing out at this time of night, remember? It isn't safe for a maiden like yourself."

"Hah! This place isn't dangerous. I know everyone here."

"That doesn't mean a stranger from out of town won't come and…steal you away," I smiled. She smirked and gave me another suspicious look.

"Well, Mr Skye-Prince-of-the-Stars, I don't think anyone will wanna steal a girl with an axe," I just smiled at her again. I liked the way she said my name. 'Skah' more than 'Sky'.

"This one might try. But not today, I think. I will see you again, my rose…"

"Hey! Wait just a minute!" she shouted but I cast my recharged invisibility spell and fled. I glanced back and saw her looking at the spot I'd been it. She had a faint smile on her face, before she picked up her discarded axe and started to walk. I'd find out where she lived, and I would see her again. I wanted to find out what that sparkle of hers was.

**If you've gotten this far it means you've read it, so thanks! The only thing that means more to me than that is if you click the link down there that says 'Review'. I accept anonymous reviews too so voice your opinion if you so wish. Up next: an encounter by the Goddess Pond (possibly).**


	2. Raiding Romana's Riches

**I have a few apologies to make before you can go ahead and read the second chapter (or you can skip this bit and read it anyway). Number One: The Goddess Pond encounter is next chapter, not this one. Number Two: Text blocks o' doom all round this chapter. It's lonely with only one main character. Number Three: I've made the villa a lot bigger than it actually is. Number Four: I only just realised that Skye is ever-so-slightly out of character, since he isn't as egotistical or vain, and he doesn't chuckle lightly as much. Oh well. Enough rambling. You read.**

I went back to the villa the next night and left a note on the dining table. 'Tonight I will come and take the jewels and valuables of the household'. That was my third and final rule: Always give the victims a head-start. Even with that head-start, I usually got what I wanted and left without being caught. Such is the life of a Phantom-Thief. I knew that they would be looking out for me, so I chose to climb over the fence into the back garden, climb up the willow tree and through the window. However…as I was climbing over the fence, someone came out of the shed-like house in the corner of the front garden. I was caught off guard and nearly slipped (which would have been inevitably agonising – it was a spike-topped fence), especially when I noticed that it was Claire. Should I cast my invisibility magic and use up my power now? Or climb over, hoping that I wouldn't get spotted? I froze so as not to catch her attention. The second I saw her head turning towards me I leapt over the top. I heard her gasp.

"Hey!" she shouted, running towards the fence. I darted towards the tree and climbed up it as fast as I could. She was at the fence but not climbing over it, and she couldn't see me. She scowled and romped away, leaving me to scramble along the tree branch to the nearest window. I peered into it to see if there was anyone there. It seemed to be a disused storage room, so I levered the window open and stepped in. It smelt of old things in here. Well, a room full of antiques was a good start. I covered my nose to stop myself from inhaling any dust (which would cause me to sneeze and give myself away) as I went about checking under the sheets to see if there was anything small enough and valuable enough to take. The only thing I found was a rather nice leather jacket, one that hadn't been worn for a long time. I rather fancied that for myself, so I put it in one of the sacks I had brought with me before trying the door. It clicked open. I couldn't hear anyone just then so I made my way out, creeping across the carpeted floor. The first door I tried was a very impressive bathroom. The next a spare room with nothing of interest in it, the third room the same. I continued on my way, however. I would find something, I knew.

* * *

><p>I recognised my surroundings when I found the corridor with the library in it. I pushed the door open further to be able to get in, when I heard someone coming up the stairs. It was the butler, Sebastian. I dashed into the library and waited. I was used to the adrenaline that was pumping through my blood. Would I get found? Or would I not? I heard him 'hmm' apprehensively before walking away again. So I was safe. I was not much of a reader but I skimmed the shelves anyway. Nothing. On to the next room. This one was the girl's. It smelt of a rich woman. Perfume and expensive materials for her dresses. It would've been any ordinary lady's bedroom if it weren't for the huge TV on one side. That was probably worth more than the silk dresses but there was no way I was going to be able to carry it. Before I could search for any jewellery, the door opened. Curses. I had been found. Lumina gasped. For a moment I thought she might shout for the others, but no. She was going to try and fight me on her own. Her own gem sparkled as she confronted me.<p>

"Thief!" she said, as venomously as a snake.

"No no, my dear girl. I am not a thief. I am a Phantom,"

"Yeah. Phantom-_Thief_. You ever signed that note as one!"

"That is true. You don't mind if I take a look around, do you beautiful? Of course not," as she ran forwards I brought the magical energy up through my veins. It sounds foolish but when I fire the 'Maiden Chick Beam', as I like to call it, I just _have _to shout. "Chick beam! Fire!" I blasted her. She squeaked as she froze to the spot.

"What did you do?"

"You will be free in about quarter of an hour. And upon my honour, I shall not lay a finger upon you," I walked over to the cupboard to look for jewellery.

"Hey! Get out of my things!" she said, craning to move. She glared at me before taking a huge breath in. "CLAIRE! SEB! GRANDMOTHER! IT'S THE THIEF!" I located a jewellery box and put it in the sack, winked at Lumina before climbing out of the window. Ah, windows. My job would be impossible without them.

* * *

><p>I ran round to the other side of the house while Lumina breathlessly told them what happened. I listened in. So Claire had decided to help, eh? Then so be it. It only made the game more challenging. I had identified Lumina as an amber girl now. Honey-coloured sparkles, plain without sunlight but pretty in any other. She would encase men in her sap of charm and money as though they were insects. She was a bookish one, too, but not my kind of girl. I went through a ground floor window into the kitchen. Silverware! Perfect! Metal against metal made far too much noise, so I cast the silence spell as I placed them into the sack. So, I had some silverware and some jewellery and a nice coat. Was there anything else I wanted? This lot had to be worth quite a bit of G. My work here was done. I picked the sack up and slung it over my shoulder, before wriggling back out of the window. And I hadn't even had to cast my invisibility spell. Excellent. I crept round and back over the fence, before sprinting down the steps. My first heist in Forget-Me-Not-Valley was a success. Or so I thought until someone grabbed me by the collar as I ran, pulling painfully against my neck. Something heavy connected with my spine, sending a throb hammering up my back, and I fell. It was Claire, wielding her mallet. So close yet so far…<p>

"I can't believe it was you! You smooth-talkin' _jerk_!" she definitely wasn't an amethyst or topaz girl…not sapphire or amber either. She wasn't quiet enough to be an onyx, so what was she? I probably shouldn't have been pondering that when she looked like she was looking for murder. "What did you do to my best friend?" I rolled to my feet, since it looked like she was about to bring the hammer down on me.

"She'll be fine later. Now, I shan't freeze you since you are considerably more attractive than Lumina and I would not wish any harm on you," also, the power hadn't finished recharging yet. She made a grab at me which I dodged.

"You shut up!" she snarled.

"See you later, sweetie," I had no choice but to cast the last of my spells – the invisibility spell. She gasped as I vanished from her sight. Though my lungs were still drawing in big breaths and my heart was still hammering, I ran on. So that particular rose had thorns. I admire a girl with spirit.

**Feels like a short chapter, though it's actually a hundred words or so londer than the first. Ah well. Admittedly I'm probably more interested in building up Skye's character than his relationship with Claire (never written a Romance fic before). That has to be a good thing, right? Don't want this to go too slow-moving or else everyone'll get bored of it, especially me. As aforementioned: Next time is an encounter at the Goddess Pond. _Promise_.**


	3. Stealing the Stolen

**Hey, y'all. This is the Pond scene (though not much happens – sorry). I promise that something romantic will happen soon, I just don't like to rush this kind of thing and make it unrealistic. They need to know each other before they fall head over heals, etc. I'm trying a different paragraph format thing, 'cause the lines looked ugly. On another note, I've gotten almost as many visitors to this fic as I have hits. Is that a good thing? Aaaaanyway, here's Chap. 3!**

The spell wore off by the time I got to the silent Mineral Town Road. I wasn't much looking forward to going back to Mineral Town. I had found lodgings there were criminals could live without fear of being discovered by the police. I knew that I wasn't a criminal because I had rules, but no one else would believe me so I had to make do with that lodge house. I hated the other lodgers. They were all big, brutish, testosterone-poisoned men that always got into fights with each other. Many of them carried weapons. They always stared at me as I passed, because of the care I took in my appearance and the fact that I was much smaller (and weaker, I must admit) than them. None of them had tried to beat me up yet, but that was before I came back with a sack full of valuables. A carjacker that I recognised gave me a suspicious look as I came in with the sack.

"What you got there?" he grunted. I tossed my hair.

"My living. You have your business, I have mine," I hoped that he would leave me alone. Quite a lot of criminals worked at night in the city, so there were quite a few of them still in the main room where we usually got served food. And quite a few of them were looking at me and the carjacker fellow whose name I hadn't bothered to learn.

"Let's see," he plucked the sack from my grasp before I had a chance to react. I had worked hard to get that, I was not going to let a criminal steal it from me now.

"I will ask politely now that you give that back," I said. He gave me another strange look as he opened it up. "I said, can you give that back please," I didn't want to have to raise my voice or do anything else drastic. He was amused by my attempts to reclaim my property. I was a lot smaller than him. Not that I have ever let such trivial matters stop me before. They say that 'violence is never the answer' but from my experiences, it should be 'violence is only ever the last resort'. There are some kinds of people, like the one in front of me, that no matter how polite, no matter how much you beg, no matter how reasonable you are will _never _react. For those kinds of people, violence is the _only _answer. That is…if you aren't as gifted as me. While walking back, my magic had recharged. The invisibility spell veiled me from his view, catching him (and those that had been watching to see what would happen) by surprise. While he was weakened I grabbed my things and ran up the stairs. I would have dearly loved to have taught him a lesson…but as I said, violence is only ever the last resort.

I went back a few times to the Valley to get away from my lodgings and to do some stargazing. The light pollution was so small in the Valley it was almost non-existent. I knew it must be Fate that had pulled Claire to the Goddess Pond that night, for when I arrived there she was. I crept closer. She was looking up at the stars with a little book in her hand, which she had been writing in. I went closer.

"Hello, beautiful. Out late again, are we?" I was met with silence. She didn't look at me. She didn't move a muscle. When she did speak, she still didn't look at me.

"Why do you do it, Skye? Why do you steal?"

"I…" I'd forgotten about that. The coldness in her voice was almost painful to hear. However, I hadn't forgotten that this jewel had to handled with care or else her sharp edges would cut me. And I certainly hadn't forgotten the awful bruise that now festooned my back. "I need to make a living somehow, don't I?"

"Why don't you find an honest job like the rest of us?" she glared at me.

"Being a Phantom-Thief is what I am good at. It would be like asking the leopard to change his spots,"

"You gotta be good at somethin' else though, right?"

"Not a lot I could make a living from. I have an interest in astronomy but where is the income in that?"

"You like the stars too?" she looked surprised, and so did I. We were both stargazers. So we had something in common.

"I do. I like to see that a maiden such as yourself is interested in them too," I had caught her attention now. Another jewel in the bag, so long as I could find out just what that jewel was.

"What else do you do?"

"I cook. Curry especially,"

"Really? I do that too,"

"We have more in common than you first thought, princess," I smiled at her. A tiny smile crept onto her face before she forcefully removed it. I'd gotten through to her now. "So what is this little book that you were writing in?"

"Nothin' much. Just a kinda…journal thing, I guess. I mark down what stage the moon is in and which constellation looks good and the cloud cover and stuff like that,"

"Not just a pretty face, I see."

"You, you be quiet. I'm goin' home now anyway,"

"I would offer to walk you back but a beautiful maiden does not deserve to be caught out with a thief. Adieu, my rose," I cast the vanishing spell. She shook her hair and started to walk back. I walked alongside her for a short while, before I went back off to Mineral Town. Her personality was more complicated and beautiful than that of the other girls…maybe she was an emerald or a ruby, something worth so much to so many. That might mean there were men in the Valley interested in her. I would have to do some more sneaking at a later date.

**So Skye is beginning to get closer to discovering exactly which gem Claire is. Next chapter: Daryl's next on the list to get robbed! (and Skye doesn't know he has a mermaid in the basement)**


	4. Cat

**Back again. Thanks for all the positive reviews, guys! They make my day. Another apology, Daryl's in the chapter after this one, because I was writing that one at the time I got confused, d'oh. I'm not that good at this. Promise there'll be some proper romance soon. Don't wanna rush this thing.**

I went back again the next clear night. As Summer was drawing to an end the nights were getting chillier. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try out that jacket I got from the mansion. It looked just fine so off I went to Forget-Me-Not Valley. I was greeted by a cat. A little black cat.

"Hello," I said to it. It mewed at me so I crouched down and stroked it. I have a fondness for cats. As I have said before, they inspire me. They are also one of the most magically proficient of normal creatures. Ask any witch or magician. While the cat let me pet it, I noticed the collar around its neck. 'Winnie'. Evidently a female cat, in that case. She mewed at me again before darting off a few yards. Then she stared straight at me with amber eyes. Cats are intelligent. She wanted me to follow her. I was curious, and I had nothing else to do, so I followed Winnie, as strange as it sounds. She led me across the bridge and to the north path to the dead-looking farm. She sat on the path and stared straight ahead. I wondered what it was that had caught her attention (it is a well known fact that animals have a sixth sense). She didn't follow me when I started to walk, and she didn't protest when I picked her up. In fact, she started purring. She was a very beautiful cat. If I were as good looking as that…well, I think every gem in the world would be in my possession.

I carried Winnie up the path to the farm, which had flourished since I had last come, no longer looking barren and dead. The tiny little house next to the small pond and the stable had light streaming from its windows. What had caught my attention was a speck of light, a lantern, being carried along. The figure carrying it was calling out.

"Winnie…Winnie! Here, Winnie. Come on…it's going to rain tomorrow and you're gonna get wet if you don't come back…Winnie!" I looked at the cat in my arms. She looked back, and licked a paw. I walked across the farm until I could recognise the figure. Claire. Of course. I had suspected upon meeting her that she was a farmer. I hadn't realised that this was _her _farm.

"Claire?" I brought her attention to myself. Her eyes widened in shock, before she noticed I was holding her cat and she rushed over, jumping over tree roots.

"Winnie!" she beamed, a truly charming sight. I let her take her cat back, before she looked up and gave me a small smile. "You found my cat,"

"She seemed to be waiting for me when I arrived. Perhaps she wanted to bring me to you,"

"Yeah, right…but thanks. She's been missin' since yesterday. She seems to like you,"

"I am fond of cats. Now…since I am here, why don't we take a walk? It is another beautiful night,"

"Where to?" she gave me that funny look again.

"Let us go…to the beach,"

"Huh…well…alright. You try anythin' funny though, I'll make you wish you were never born,"

"You forget that I am not a criminal, and I have a sense of honour,"

"Whatever," she put Winnie back inside before joining me.

Walking alongside her, I wondered to myself why I had been drawn to this girl above the others. I decided that it was because of the mystery surrounding that glittering gem. I had established that hers must be something of the higher quality. Just what exactly was it?

"So, my rose…surely someone as beautiful as you must have many men vying for her attentions," I said. Something reminiscent of sadness crossed her face.

"No…not really,"

"Why not?"

"Everyone here is either content on their own, married, or already has a girlfriend…besides, none of them here are really my type,"

"What if a handsome stranger from out of town were to turn up?"

"That would depend on whether the stranger was a _thief _or not," she glared at me, the world 'thief' loaded with hate. And I had thought we had gotten past that. No matter. I would get through to her.

"A _Phantom_. I have told you before that I have honour and I have rules,"

"You have rules? What kinda rules?"

"Several. I don't steal from the poor, I don't hurt other people or animals and I always send a warning. It sounds fair enough to me,"

"But you got all that fancy-schmancy magic stuff,"

"What about it?" she couldn't find anything to say. I still couldn't identify the jewel at her heart. I wasn't getting either of the traces that made a ruby a ruby or an emerald an emerald.

"What's it to you if I have a boyfriend or not?"

"Curiosity," I waved a hand dismissively.

"Huh. Whatever," she said, before yawning. "I'm gonna go back now. I gotta get up at six,"

"That early? Then I shall not detain you. Let me walk you back,"

"What happened to 'you don't deserve to be caught out with a thief'?"

"I doubt there is anyone else around at all," I offered her my hand but she didn't take it and started walking back up the beach. She was a strange girl…but beautiful. Quite beautiful.

**OK, NEXT chapter has Daryl in it. Honest. I'm running out of people that could get robbed now, but I guess I'll find someone after him. Unless you guys have any suggestions…?**


	5. One Belongs

**Already at five chapters, yay. I've realised the number of things in this that don't work when put against the actual games so I'm changing a few minor things, and I'll get round to doing that to the previous chapters. I'd always imagined Skye in a city, not a town, so I made up a city for him to live in. It's really hard to come up with a name for a city without making it sound like something out of Pokemon. It's another chapter with massive wads of text, I'M SORRY.**

I saw her a week later but she was heading back to her farm so I thought it best not to go and disturb her. However, I did have other business to take care of. Daryl was the scientist in the valley; what he was experimenting on I didn't know but I _did _know that he had a small pile of sheets of platinum and even a little bit of gold and silver for those experiments. I would leave the gold, I decided as I took a look around that night, but the platinum would be worth a huge amount of G. So I left the note on the table and took my leave. 'Tonight I will come to relieve you of your burden of platinum and silver'. And so I went back the next night to do just that.

His home was a little way east of the home of the Pyrotechnics. I glanced through the window. Daryl was there, prowling around the table wielding what could be a crowbar or what could be simple a long piece of metal. Either way, it was obvious what he was planning on doing with it if I got caught. That put me in a small spot of bother. I couldn't open the window without drawing his attention and I couldn't just stroll merrily in through the door because he would ambush me. I cursed myself for not thinking through this better. That was when I took a few steps back and saw, on the roof, an open skylight. Perfect. I had to jump from the bank onto the roof but he didn't seem to hear me. If I cast the silence spell I could jump down into his blind spot and break for the basement hatch without having to use the invisibility. Easy. So I carefully tilted the window open just a little bit more, cast the spell and leapt down while his back was turned, darting into the basement.

It was a bit darker in here because of the lack of windows, but I wasn't entirely too concerned about that. It was who was in here that had startled me. One was sitting in a bath-like contraption for the very simple reason that she was a _mermaid_. The other was Claire. Her again! She kept turning up. The worrying thing about her was the smirk on her face and the way she held her hammer.

"You're not gonna get away _this _time, you jerk!"

"You get him, Claire!" the mermaid cheered. I would've quite happily marvelled at her all day, but I didn't have all day. I dodged to the side as Claire ran at me. I wasn't going to be caught by the same trick twice, especially as the bruise had finally disappeared.

"You shouldn't let your beauty be spoiled by anger, my rose," I said to Claire, but naturally she was having none of it. I could've easily cast my Maiden Chick Beam on her but I felt like that would be betraying her.

"Daryl! Daryl, it's the thief!" the mermaid cried. Now I had to deal with an enraged scientist and a (rather pretty) enraged farmer. Time to take my leave. As Daryl charged down, I threw the invisibility charm over myself.

"What? Where did that thief go?" Daryl glared around the room, his eyes passing straight over me. I ran over to the stairs and quietly tiptoed up them so as to not draw their attention to me. I scooped up the sheets of metal and put them into the sack. Out through the door and my work here was done. Easier than it first appeared.

Naturally, it was too easy. I was walking across the bridge when I heard someone approaching, and someone approaching quickly. This time, I was prepared and I leapt to the side as Claire ran at me.

"Claire, Claire. Why don't you calm down?" I told her.

"Why don't you stop being such a backstabber!"

"Backstabber?" thief, criminal, jerk…out of all the things I expected her to hurl at me, it wasn't backstabber. That was why it hurt more.

"Yes. Backstabber. I thought you took me down to the beach because you actually liked me. It was just so you could find out more about who to steal from!"

"No, no it wasn't. I took you to the beach because…" that was a good question. Why exactly did I want to take her to the beach and not amber girl Lumina or try to pursue one of the others? "Because you are an interesting girl. I have never met a maiden remotely like you," even as I said it an idea crept into my mind. What if she was the only one of her kind? The rarest and most valuable of all gems…the diamond.

"Yeah, sure," she said sarcastically, but she lowered the hammer, much to my relief.

"Upon my honour it is the truth. I have never met another girl that enjoyed stargazing as much as I did, or a curry chef like myself,"

"I never met a smooth-talkin' thief before. Which reminds me," she walked closer. I wondered what she was going to do, before she drew back her hand and slapped me hard across the face. It was the first time I had ever been hit by a girl before, and unfortunately it wasn't to be my last. It stung more than I had ever expected. I was too shocked to be able to form a sentence properly.

"What…?"

"Someone _did _see you walking with me and now they won't stop teasing me!"

"Who?" but she had turned on her heel and was walking off back to the farm. I looked at the sack that was still in my hands. Was that it? She was probably better friends with Lumina than with Daryl.

As I walked back to Mineral Town I started to think about Claire again. Diamond…I had always thought that if there were all of these other gems on the necklace there would have to be a diamond. If she _was _the only diamond girl, then she would have to be _my _diamond girl. When one thinks that all women are special it takes the most dazzling gem of all to catch one's attention. I would have to hunt her down so I could speak with her. I realised that I did want to know more about her. I wanted to know everything. Where had she come from? What did she like? What didn't she like? There was only one way to find that out, and that was to talk to her.

**Skye's finally identified Claire as a/the diamond girl (considering the title of the fic it could hardly have been anything else). OK, I **_**know **_**I'm gonna get it right this time…Next chapter: Another Goddess Pond scene and some romance (at last).**


	6. Harvesting Affection

**This one looks like quite a long one, probably because it has less massive wads of text and more dialogue. I haven't gotten round to smoothing out the previous chapters, and I probably won't until this fic is finished (whenever that is). Anyway, as promised, enjoy this romance.**

I was in a very good mood the night after visiting Daryl. The money I had made…I am by no means a greedy man but that money was enough to pay the rent all year. Not that any of it would be used for that. In fact, as I wandered down the streets of the city before all the shops shut and all the restaurants opened, I walked past a jeweller's. I should get something for Claire, I decided. To show that I truly meant no harm on her and I was sorry for the fact that someone had caught her out with me. I wondered who it was. Who would be out at that time of night? But I looked at the things in the window. They were beautiful, but far too intricate. I wanted something to give to a worker, not a lady. I went inside. It always amazes me how much the jewellers know about the things they work with. I may be able to steal any jewel I so wished but I would never be able to craft one into a beautiful ring or a glittering amulet. Just standing in a jeweller's filled me with awe at the beauty I was surrounded with. Like the sky of stars brought down to Earth. As I gazed at the beauties, a shop assistant approached me.

"Is sir looking for anything in particular?" she asked. Normally I would have been fine without her, but this time I wanted to get it perfect. It was for a perfect diamond, after all.

"Something a farmgirl would be able to wear while working, but still be as beautiful as the other pieces displayed here,"

"Well…" she drifted across to a different display case, so I followed her over. "These necklaces and pendants can be easily tucked away and as you can see, they are still as well-crafted as the others we have on display," I could see what she meant. A pendant would be perfect. They were all glittering with different gems set in each one…but my eyes fell on one that had no jewels in it. It was a necklace with a sheaf of wheat for the pendant. Gold of some kind, though I doubt it was anything higher than 18-carat. A little tag pinned next to it showed it was pricey but I had money to spare.

"I think I will take the one with the wheat," I told the assistant. She looked faintly surprised but went to fetch a key and take out the gift for Claire. It is not as thrilling to buy something than to steal it, but it is a lot low risk. I put the package with Claire's gift safely in my pocket, before heading back to my lodgings to wait for nightfall.

I saw no one once I reached town apart from the lonely scarecrow in the field north of Vesta's. Vesta and the other two were quite rich with a lot to take, but I had learnt since that Claire thought of Vesta as a kind of aunt, and I didn't want to anger her by stealing from her friends and those close to her. It seemed that indeed, none of the men were interested in her. Perfect, because I was. The realisation gripped my heart and I stopped dead. I _was _interested in her…it was more than just interest. Perhaps it was…affection. I had been the subject of a woman's love many times before but I had never been a giver of it. Because I had never met a diamond girl before. All the more reasons to get on Claire's good side. I went to her farm. The lights were still on, so I knocked on the door. She opened it and was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting me. I couldn't help but smile.

"Good evening, beautiful,"

"Skye. What do you want?"

"I have a gift for you," I pulled out the paper-wrapped necklace and handed it to her. She tossed her hair out of her eyes, gave me a suspicious look before carefully opening it. I found myself wondering whether she would like it or not. She did smile when she saw it, but again she deliberately tried to remove that smile.

"It...it's beautiful. Did you steal it?"

"No," I had suspected she would say as much. "Upon my honour,"

"And it's really for me?"

"Of course,"

"…thank you," that small smile came back and this time she didn't push it away. "It's very pretty,"

"Nothing compared to your beauty of course, but there was nothing at the jeweller's that could possibly come close to that,"

"You shut up with that. I'll tolerate you, I guess, but only if you stop with the smooth-talkin',"

"I cannot help it. Especially when what I speak is the truth," she rolled her eyes but she was still smiling. She put the pendant in her pocket.

"I expect you want to take me down to the beach now, huh?"

"Actually…I was thinking more the Goddess Pond,"

"Alright," and, with my heart feeling oddly light, she walked with me to the pond.

We sat by the edge of the pond, the leaves from the trees stirring the water in tiny ripples as they fell in the breeze.

"Y'know that I haven't forgiven you for stealin' from Daryl. Everyone picks on him,"

"He did not have any of my rules to protect him, so I feel it was fair,"

"Will you ever give up theivin'?"

"My rose, we have already been through this. It is a part of me. Who I am,"

"Hmph," she didn't say anymore until we reached the pond. "If I ask why you wanted to talk to me, you'll tell me you wanted my company and all that, won't you?"

"I will, because it is the truth. As I have said before, you are a very interesting girl,"

"Alright, Mr-Skye-Prince-of-the-Stars, what makes me more interesting than all the other girls here, huh?" I had to think about that one for a moment, and then put those words into context.

"Because, my rose, you are more intricate than they are,"

"What d'you mean, 'intricate'?"

"Ah, it is hard to explain…over the years I have seen many women that are almost exactly alike, bar a few aspects of their personality. But you don't fall into any of those groups that I have met. You stand alone. Completely unique,"

"Well…" I could see a blush rising in her cheeks. And what a sight it was…yes, I rather liked the idea of being in love with her. I would have to try it a bit longer to see if it suited me. "What about all this?" she gestured to her worn, muddied overalls and then to her tangled hair. "You can tell me I'm different but I ain't _pretty_, like Muffy or Lumina…"

"To an untrained eye, indeed. I know better. All gems when they are first unearthed are dirty and caked in earth. To see the beauty, one must look beneath all that dirt and the jewel within," I told her. As quick as always she immediately replied.

"So you're saying I'm covered in dirt?"

"Are you determined to dislike me, my rose?" I was as surprised at her own surprise as she was at my remark.

"Do I really come across like that?"

"Sometimes. You need to relax, princess,"

"…sorry," she looked at the pond for a while, until saying that she needed to get home. I didn't want her to get caught again so I said my farewells and headed back to the city.

**I can't tell you what's happening next chapter because I haven't written it yet. Been too occupied with other things…*coughPokemoncough***


	7. Way To a Girl's Heart

**Supersupersuper short chapter today, folks. I had a case of writer's block (which I don't actually get that often) and I ended up getting distracted by other works that I'm writing. But I have something now. Next chapter will be longer, I promise.**

The city is a half-hour walk from Mineral Town, so in total almost an hour from Forget-Me-Not. It didn't matter. I would walk thrice that far to see my Claire. _My _Claire…it sounded nice in my head. So far love seemed to be suiting me quite well. Even after spending so much on the gift for Claire, it seemed I wouldn't have to participate in any thievery for quite a while. Which left me wondering what to do next. I made a habit from then on of going to Forget-Me-Not at least twice a week in the hope of finding Claire and at least once a week to a place in the city to dine, specifically on curry. I had found myself stargazing less and borrowing the lodge kitchen more in the evenings. Even violent criminals enjoy a good meal. It had made me a few less enemies, at any rate. One night as I headed upstairs to change before leaving for Forget-Me-Not, I thought to myself: why shouldn't I try cooking for Claire? She said so herself that she liked curry. I couldn't take her back here, however…maybe I could cook her something from the comfort of her own home. There was only one way to find that out, and that was to talk to her.

X X X

She wasn't walking back from the archaeological dig or at the Goddess Pond so I made my way to her farm. She had done quite well for herself over Fall, and had even got her home renovated. The lights were still on, and looking through the curtains revealed that she was just watching television. Should I knock? Or follow the cat and go through the window, as I preferred to do? Since Claire seemed to prefer the stargazing, artistic side of me more than my phantom persona, I knocked.

"Ah! Skye!" her blue eyes went wide as she saw me. I noticed she was wearing the necklace I had bought for her and couldn't stop myself from smiling.

"It has been far too long since we've talked so I decided to drop by,"

"Um…I guess you can come in," again, she was pretending that she disliked me. I could tell she had warmed up to me, though. So I stepped in. I had never been here. I had looked through the window but never stepped inside, since her house was mainly only one room and I risked the chance of waking her up or being caught. It was quite homely, I suppose, and a fair deal nicer than my current home, if it could be called such a thing.

"So why're you here, exactly?" she raised her eyebrows at me. "Oh, wait, let me guess, you wanted my company?"

"Ah, you know me well, beautiful. Not only that, but I wanted to make an offer,"

"What?"

"How about, if some time next week, I come here and make you a meal? Cooking is, after all, among my many talents,"

"You want to make me dinner?" she had a look of both amusement and surprise on her face. "Why?" again, she had asked a question I didn't know how to answer.

"Because I enjoy your company?"

"Yeah, I thought that much. And I 'interest' you, whatever the heck that's supposed to mean,"

"Precisely. So? Will you let me?"

"Sure, why not. It's not like there's anythin' happenin' next week,"

"Excellent. How about if I come on Tuesday? At six?"

"Make it half six and yeah, that'll be fine," she tossed her hair back over her shoulders. I smiled.

"Then I will see you then,"

"Yep," I walked to the door but before I could step out and leave, Claire spoke again. "You know what, Skye?"

"What is it?"

"You interest me too. No go on, I need to get to sleep," she pushed me gently.

"Good night, my rose," I said before leaving. So I interested her, also…then I think that this girl is truly mine.

X X X

I thought about going back to the city once I had left Claire's farm, but to be truthful I wanted to spend as much time away from there as possible. So I went to what had become one of my favourite places: the Goddess Pond. It was quite cloudy today so stargazing was out of the matter but it was a beautiful place on its own. I wondered for not the first time if there really was a Goddess in the pond. It was a fairly deep pond even if it wasn't very big. About three times the depth of my height in the middle, and very clear. If there was a Goddess I couldn't see her from here. Maybe you need a second sight like a cat or to be a pure person. Even though I have rules that I follow, I wondered to myself then if that was not enough. Stealing was something frowned upon by society and something the church taught against. But, I told myself, Claire liked me whether I was a thief or not, and that was good enough for me. With that thought secure in my mind, I stood up and started on the walk back home.

**Next chapter: Skye making dinner for Claire. See you then :)**


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